Congress Celebrates Caste Census Announcement, BJP Calls Out ‘False Credit’

In the wake of the central government's decision to include caste data in the upcoming Census, a poster outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi credited senior leader Rahul Gandhi with spearheading the push. Installed by Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas BV, the poster features Gandhi’s image alongside a message saying, “We said Modi ji would have to get a caste Census done. We will get it done. The world bows down, you need someone to make it bow down.”

Congress leaders have hailed the Cabinet's decision as a victory for their long-standing demand. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has consistently advocated for a caste Census, arguing that it is essential to ensure social justice and equitable representation for marginalised communities.

Following the government’s announcement, Rahul Gandhi said, “We said Modi ji would have to get a caste Census done. We will get it done. This is our vision and we would ensure that the government gets a transparent and effective caste Census done. And everyone knows which sections have what partnership in the country’s institutions and power structure.” He further congratulated individuals and organisations that supported the push for a caste-based enumeration, expressing pride in their efforts.

However, the ruling BJP dismissed Congress’s claims, accusing the party of exploiting the issue for political gain while historically resisting similar efforts.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the Cabinet's decision, said, “Considering all these facts and to ensure that the social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be transparently included in the Census instead of surveys.” He added that the step would strengthen India’s social and economic structure.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also weighed in, stating that “some people are falsely claiming credit.” He pointed out that Congress leaders had previously opposed caste-based reservation. “The country needs to know the truth. Jawaharlal Nehru was strongly against caste-based reservation,” said Mr Pradhan. He further claimed that subsequent Congress governments, including that of Indira Gandhi, had shelved discussions around caste enumeration.​